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More acquisitions looming? Peak 10 secures $60M credit facility
Charlotte-based provider of data hosting, other services plans expansion, CFO says.
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As Jeff Barber retires, who will replace him as Triangle’s Craig (Mr. Plaid) Sager?
Jeff Barber’s decision to retire from PricewaterhouseCoopers has created great, great consternation in the region’s high tech community. Who, they are asking, will now wear the loud – and I mean LOUD – plaid jackets and other attire to networking and other events?
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Business presentation – What’s the opportunity and how do you get it?
Angel Connection: All the information about the product or service should simply demonstrate that the buyer’s need is addressed and that it will win against the competition.
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Pozen’s revenue forecast tops Wall Street expectations
Drug maker sees bigger sales of recently approved migraine drug.
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When Relationships Go Bad
International Business Corner: Personal is intertwined with business. This is very much the case in countries such as China and Brazil.
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Investors dial back in to R.H. Donnelley stock, sending shares up 28%
Cary-based yellow pages, search firm reports huge loss, but Wall Street is buying.
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N.C. Research Campus, Local Tech Wire team up for preview of Kannapolis campus
May 15 Exchange networking event will offer attendees latest updates on $1B-plus effort. Red Hat Exec Tom Rabon will deliver keynote.
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Triangle tech community loses advocate, entrepreneur, investor in Paul Rasmussen
Memorial service is set for Friday at First Flight Center in RTP. Rasmussen ran, invested in, and mentored many high-tech firms in region for 15 years.
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Genome wrestling? Genetic 'tag team' keeps cells on cycle
UniversityTech: Cascades of interdependent genes coordinate timing for the cell, Duke genetics researchers find.
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The ‘titans’ of venture capital: Entrepreneurs, we’re here to serve you
VentureBeat: An National Venture Capital Association, ‘Midas List’ leaders John Doerr, Michael Moritz stress their service to up-and-coming firms.
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Quintiles acquires Boston consulting firm
The deal is the latest move by the global contract research organization to expand its consulting business.
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Nintendo Wiis on the high seas
Gaming Guru: It’s not just the kids that play Wii. As anyone who has a Wii knows, its motion-sensor controls invite new and relapsed gamers into the hobby. It’s so easy to play that seniors aboard the ship are going crazy over Wii Bowling.
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PwC’s Jeff Barber to retire, seek new opportunities
Managing partner of financial services’ Raleigh office helped take some of region’s best-known companies public. He has worked at PwC for 31 years.
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Spot Runner raises $51 million to expand global media business
Firm can target ads more precisely and distribute multiple versions of ads to different audiences. It has thousands of clients and says its revenue is growing rapidly.
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Coalition to Transform Clinical Trials names executive board
UniversityTech: FDA teams up with Duke to form group, which is public-private partnership.
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Absolute Novelty is not always absolute
TechLaw: Assuming that the patenting of inventions in countries other than the United States is barred when the invention previously has been disclosed may deprive an inventor of available patent opportunities.
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CEOs see change as opportunity in days of ‘omnivores’ and ‘socially conscious’ customers, IBM survey finds
Chief executive officers realize they must embrace change if their companies are to survive in the 21st century, especially when dealing with “information omnivore” and “socially minded” customers, according to a new IBM survey.
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Serial life science entrepreneur Max Wallace takes on new challenge
Wallace will leave startup TheraLogics to become CEO of Bain Cancer Cure foundation. However, he plans to stay in Triangle and remain involved in Chapel Hill-based firm.
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Gaming breakthrough? Prime Sense claims to have the best 3D game controller
VentureBeat: Israel-based company says its technology enables computer to perceive the world in 3D and derive an understanding of the world based on sight, just the way humans do.
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Targacept receives $500,000 milestone payment from GSK
Biopharmaceutical firm designates lead compound in smoking cessation program.
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ParagonDx receives FDA approval for blood thinner genetics test
Genotyping test identifies if patients are at risk of negative reaction to warfarin.
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X marks the spot: Xobni launches e-mail organizer for Outlook
VentureBeat: After tests from 50,000 users, a beat version is now available.
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Is LinkedIn being sold? The world wonders
VentureBeat: Company’s user base doubled last year to more than 20 million active users worldwide. It claims that 1.3 million new members are joining per month. The average user is 41 years old and makes around $110,000.
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Will North Carolina do better in a recession?
You Decide: Will the state repeat its unfortunate experiences of the past with a worse unemployment rate and a greater drop in commerce than other parts of the country? Or will our state break with the patterns of the past and be a place that outperforms other regions?
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Lenovo still looking to make acquisitions, chairman tells news service
In interview with Bloomberg, Yang Yuanqing says Lenovo wants to regain No. 3 rank in world PC sales. ‘The most important thing is growing our market share, more than making money,’ he says.
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Friends and family - In Brazil, business often includes favors, payments
International Business Corner: Before entering Brazilian market, executives need to understand the culture of doing business there.
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STEM-ulating: It's time to start doing
Innovation Exchange: Science, technology, engineering and math need more attention to prepare workers for global workforce.
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Business presentations – Tell the whole story
Angel Connection: Many presentations omit one or more areas of information, causing the audience to question whether the business owner actually understands their business.
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Gray matter: How to foster tech entrepreneurship
Startup hotshots are older and more educated than generally thought; it follows that training and finance skills should be offered to all age groups.
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Who has best lineup in NBA? Celtics, according to Lenovo’s ‘Stat’
However, as the NBA playoffs unfold the action on the court is showing stats don’t tell the entire story of a team – or individuals.
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Personal finance site Mint adds investment tracking
VentureBeat: Site looks to be the first of the general personal finance sites to move beyond basic bank accounts and expenses into investment tracking.
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Kongregate to launch Facebook games, raises $3 million from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos
VentureBeat: Investments from Bezos Expeditions will be used to fuel the company’s expansion to new platforms and expand beyond the mostly male audience that plays Adobe Flash-based games at Kongregate.com.
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UCLA researchers induce mice cells to mimic embryonic stem cells
Stem Cells journal to publish study that reports on advance made to produce patient-specific stem cells for use in combating diseases.
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Researchers identify new cell targets for preventing growth of breast cancer, other tumors
UniversityTech: Targeting blood vessel formation, or angiogenesis, promises to be less toxic than the standard chemotherapy approach that kills cancer cells and normal cells alike.
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3-D ultrasound could improve stroke diagnosis and care, Duke researchers report
UniversityTech: System sees blood vessels in brain in real time. The 3-D ultrasound has the benefit of being less expensive and faster than the traditional methods of assessing blood flow in the brain – MRI or CT scanning.
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GE-Hitachi Nuclear to add 900 jobs, invest $704M in expansion of Wilmington headquarters
State to provide as much as $25.7 million in incentives for project. Local government adds another $10 million.
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GE Nuclear could announce major expansion in Wilmington
Gov. Mike Easley to disclose economic development project today. GE Nuclear has already received pledges worth millions of dollars from local government.
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Employee handbooks: Personalize personnel policies or prepare to pay the piper
TechLaw: Many employers either do not have a formal employee handbook or use one that is out of date and doubles for a dust collector. Keeping an updated employee handbook is a relatively inexpensive potential method to minimize costly employment-related claims.
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Medical Device Startup CivaTech Raises $1M
Two-year-old company is developing means to deliver a radioactive ‘sting’ to combat cancer.
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RTP startup Entegrion wins FDA approval to sell bandages to consumers
Bandages are designed to control bleeding. They will be sold via prescription and over counter.
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IBM to hire 600 people, expand mortgage processing center in Charlotte
Big Blue could receive nearly $10M in tax incentives over 10 years. IBM already employs 68 people at center. IBM also increased its dividend.
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Lulu expands management team, including CFO
Self-publishing firm also adds human resources, technology execs. Motricity, Red Hat veterans sign on with Bob Young-led venture.
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Startup Sunrgi claims major advances in solar power
VentureBeat: California-based startup says its technology can produce cheap energy.
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Massachusetts-based stent technology firm Names CEO, picks RTP for headquarters
Guidant veteran will lead Tryton Medical, which closed on $14 million in venture funding earlier this month.
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Ca$hing in – Pozen receives $20M payment from GSK for migraine drug
FDA’s approval of Treximet triggers another big payment to Chapel Hill drug development firm.
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Red Hat shuffles responsibilities for three top executives
Moves affecting top finance, engineering and sales leaders will help boost international sales, says new CEO Whitehurst.
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Grand Theft Auto: Masterpiece or abomination?
Game’s release has re-ignited public debate over how games affect kids and whether new laws are needed to protect children from the gratuitous violence found in many video games.
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News & Observer plans cutbacks, offering ‘voluntary transition’
Not all departments will be affected, publisher says in e-mail to employees. Paper says 230 of 900 employees will receive buyout offer.
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Building Mi-Co hasn’t been a ‘hard slog’ but a mission, says CEO
Words of wisdom: "Be an entrepreneur because you believe in something, because you have a dream and a need to create something – to create value."
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NileGuide Aims To Own Trip Itinerary Business
VentureBeat: NileGuide will offer a site that has experts in multiple locations around the world who can give you information that is accurate and relevant.
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Georgia Tech Partnering To Create National Robotics Strategy
UniversityTech: Leaders in robotics research announce effort to create national strategy for robotics growth
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When It Comes to Genome, It’s Often Nurture Over Nature
UniversityTech: NCSU Geneticists report environmental factors such as lifestyle, geography have impact on genes.
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Red Hat Appears to Be Flying Friendly Skies with New CEO Whitehurst
Jim Whitehurst, the 40-year-old wunderkind chief executive officer at Red Hat, didn’t don a red fedora. He didn’t sing. He didn’t dance. But the man following in the footsteps of Bob Young and Matthew Szulik still made an impressive debut at his Triangle coming out party of sorts on Thursday
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Investors Pour $18.4M More into Biopharmaceutical Firm Aldagen
Durham-based startup, which is basked by Intersouth and Aurora, has four potential drugs in development.
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Silverpop Closes on $15M, Plans Additional Acquisitions
E-mail and on-demand marketing firm run by Raleigh entrepreneur Bill Nussey also lands new investor.
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Take Heart, Entrepreneurs – Outlook for Angel Funding Is Good
Angel Connection: Angel Capital Association seeks positive signs despite a souring economy.
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‘STEM’ Education - Are Today's Students Ready For Tomorrow?
Innovation Exchange: If U.S. is to stem tide of growing competitive demand, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills are essential.
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Do You Have the Right ‘Guanxi’ To Do Business in China?
International Business Corner: Guanxi means relationships in Chinese, and doing business is world’s most populous country requires just that.
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MobiTV Lands $5M in Additional Venture Capital
VentureBeat: California-based provider of streaming video services, has now raised $130M.
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Watch Out for Pickets, IBM – Alliance@IBM Plans Protest at Meeting in Charlotte
Unlike a protest made up of avatars in the online world of Second Life last year, the Charlotte gathering will include real people carrying real signs.
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Raleigh-Based Business Financial Services Raises $9M
Edison Venture Fund provides funding for company, which offers cash advances to businesses.
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Argos Therapeutics Closes on $35.2M in New Funding
Third round of financing includes three new investors. Funds will be used to advance potential immune-system based treatments for HIV, renal cell carcinoma.
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Can IT Fuel the Race to the $1,000 Human Genome?
In the race for the first $1,000 genome, several next-generation DNA sequencing system providers have announced significant breakthroughs in their technologies to reduce the costs of decoding a whole human genome, leading to the question: Is IT ready for next-generation sequencing?
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Cree Shares Take a Shellacking after Revenue Forecast Disappoints Investors
Even as Cree reported $700,000 in revenues from its acquisition of Morrisville-based LED Lighting Fixtures and growing demand for its energy-saving LED lighting products, investors apparently expected a lot more.
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GlaxoSmithKline to Buy Massachusetts-Based Sirtis for $720M
Startup, which went public last May, is focused on enzyme research.
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Patents in China – Is There Any Real Protection?
TechLaw: Manufacturing or even the simple exposure of your product in China, whether it be computer hardware, product components, pharmaceuticals, or toys, carries a risk not present in the United States: will your patent rights be stolen? If they are, will a Chinese court help you get them back?
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New York Private Equity Firm Invests in RTP-Based Carpio Systems
Amount of deal isn’t disclosed, but Carpio CEO says funds will be used for growth, acquisitions.
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PEHub’s Dan Primack Sees Lots to Like in Kenan-Flagler Venture Contest
MIT team takes first place in VCIC. UNC team places third.
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What Slowdown? Video Game Sales Continue to Skyrocket
Gaming Guru: Many new titles are coming to market. Video game hardware sales also are strong.
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Hey, You – You Might Want to Get on ‘Cloud’ Like Charlotte Restaurant Chain
Providence Restaurant Group teams up with Google to deploy cloud computing solution using Google Apps, Google Docs. Google’s ‘Cloud Camp’ to demo the technology.
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Writing Next RTP Tech Success Story? That Could Be Mi-Co
Father-and-son team Jim and Greg Clary are turning proprietary technology for electronic forms and data-capture into a growing business. Now they are ready to seek their first venture funding – up to $5M.
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Epic’s Unreal Tournament 3 Heads for Xbox 360 This Summer
Latest version of first-person shooter franchise will feature additional characters, maps, split-screen capability.
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Atlanta-Based Wound Therapy Firm Raises $2.3M
Biofisica’s technology combines wound dressing with electrical stimulation.
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Cisco’s TelePresence Gaining Traction Worldwide – Plus AT&T Signs on as Partner
It’s truly a remarkable technology, taking videoconferencing to a higher level of performance with its wide-angle views and sharp video and audio quality. And what an alternative it is to expensive travel by executives.
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N.C. State Researcher's HIV Findings May Lead to New Treatment Strategies
UniversityTech: Virus actually can cause body’s immune system to help increase replication.
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Financial Fallout, Fed Bailouts - Are Banks Different?
If banks fail, what is the cost to the general economy and to innocent bystanders? But if banks are propped up, what are the possible costs to consumers - through higher inflation - and to taxpayers?
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Marc Andreessen’s Social Network Creator Ning Raises $60M at $500M Valuation
VentureBeat: Funds to fuel growth, also ‘to make sure we have plenty of firepower to survive the oncoming nuclear winter, Netscape co-founder says.
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Venture Investing Declines 8.5% in First Quarter
Declining IPOs will continue to be a drag on startup funding, VC says.
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North Carolina’s Jobless Rate Hits 5.2% - Highest Since October 2005
Professional and business services, manufacturing and construction sectors shed jobs.
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UNC-CH, Hamner Institutes Team Up for Research, Commercialization Efforts
Several UNC departments will collaborate with Hamner in seeking therapies to combat cancer, respiratory diseases. Organizations will share in costs of developing products and in ownership.
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Read All About It – New DC Comics Series to Feature Epic’s ‘Gears’
Deal further expands ‘Gears of War’ franchise, which already has been picked for movie development, toys and perhaps even novels. Action figures due out in 'a few weeks.'
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FDA Commissioner Wears His Heart on His Wrist – a Cancer Survivor’s Drive
As Andrew von Eschenbach talked with life science executives about the future of healthcare, the yellow band on his wrist also sent a message. He's a soldier in the battle against cancer.
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Honda Aircraft Plans to Sell N.C.-Built Jets in Europe
Company also settles on five U.S. sales and support centers.
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Investor Presentations – Motto for Success Is ‘Be Prepared’
Angel Connection: All audiences are not the same. Customize your presentation to the needs of your audience. You need to cover all the basic material, but emphasis should be placed on the areas of most interest to your audience.
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Beach driving debate draws environmental interest
Innovation Exchange: Readers weigh in on battle to limit access to Outer Banks.
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N.C. Biotechnology Center Names Award after Community College President
Martin Lancaster, who is retiring April 30, is honored for role in helping build state's biotech sector.
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Health Care Is Undergoing a ‘Metamorphosis,’ FDA Commissioner Says
A convergence of technology presents opportunities to transform how illness, diseases are detected and treated, Andrew von Eschenbach tells SAS conference. In interview, he says challenge is how leaders will capitalize on chance to ‘shape’ how health care ‘butterfly’ is developed.
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A Sad Day for Microsoft Haters - Red Hat Folds Plans for Linux Consumer Desktop
After listing a number of advances made over the past year, the Red Hat “desktop team” unleashed its bombshell Wednesday: Red Hat Global Desktop is dead.
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FDA Approval of Migraine Drug Could Mean Many Big Paydays for Pozen
GSK will pay Pozen millions more in a milestone payment plus royalties when Treximet goes on sale in May. One analyst sees Pozen earning $200 million a year in royalties.
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Molecule Delivery Method Improves Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation, Georgia Tech-Emory Researchers Say
UniversityTech: ‘The importance of these findings is that we’ve shown that biomaterial-based approaches to regulate stem cell microenvironments can significantly improve differentiation methods,’ lead professor says.
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N.C. Biofuels Center Awards 15 Alternative Projects $2.5M in Grants
Wide variety pr projects across state receive 'jump start' funding.
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Sampson County Lands $200M Power Plant That Will Burn Poultry Litter
Fibrowatt says facility will create 100 jobs, generate enough electricity to power 40,000 homes for a year. County will provide $2.5M in tax incentives.
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Congratulations to Pozen, GSK for Persevering in Migraine Drug Battle
Investors went on a buying spree after the news broke late last night, driving up Pozen (Nasdaq: POZN) shares more than 37 percent, or nearly $4 a share, to nearly $14.
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Fighting AIDS: Leading HIV Researchers to Collaborate on Vaccine Development
UniversityTech: Center for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Immunology at Duke, International AIDS Vaccine Initiative plan to "lay the groundwork for new vaccine approaches."
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Employers Beware: New Liability for 401(K) Plans
TechLaw: Providing a 401(k) plan to employees is a common benefit in tech companies, even if the employer doesn't contribute to it. A new decision from the United States Supreme Court ruled that an employer can be responsible for making up losses to a participant's individual 401(k) account. The floodgates may have opened for considerable new potential liability to employers.
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Oh, What a Relief for Pozen, GSK – FDA Approves Migraine Drug; Pozen Shares Surge
After years-long battle, Chapel Hill-based pharmaceutical firm and GlaxoSmithKline prevail. Treximet can now go on sale. News sends Pozen shares up 37%.
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Venture Outlook for 2008 Is Promising Despite Slowing Economy, Venture Group President Says
Venture 2008 Preview: Mark Heesen, who leads National Venture Capital Association, will deliver largely upbeat message at CED’s 25th annual event.
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Motricity Executive Signs on as Chief Operating Officer at Hosted Solutions
Christopher Turco is part of expanding management team being put in place after Hosted acquisition.
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Charlotte-Based Solar Energy Cell Firm Raises $3.6M
Sencera International secures funding from Quercus Trust. Company pursues proprietary technology for rewnewable energy.
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Phase Bioscience Names Pharma Veteran as CEO
UPDATE: Christopher Prior replaces Nick Ellis who left firm in March to become CEO at Argolyn Bioscience. PhaseBio also adds two other execs to management team.
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Wakefield Group, Noro-Moseley Invest in Tennessee-Based Payments Solution Firm
FrontStream Payments closes on $16M in funding, plans to use funds for acquisitions and expansion.
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Looking for Angel Investors? Well, There Are More of Them – But They’re Cautious
Angels certainly do invest in a high-risk environment. In 2007, 27.7 percent of “exits” for angels were bankruptcies.
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Doing Business Successfully on a Global Basis Requires In-Depth Relationships
International Business Corner: Doing business is a very direct and straight forward process and seems much simpler when compared to the reliance on relationships as is the process in most developing countries.
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N.C. Biotech Training Group Changes Name
NCBIOIMPACT is new name for consortium involved in biotech worker training programs.
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evincii’s Search Box Helps You Navigate the Drug Store
VentureBeat: California-based company puts search technology in brick-and-mortar environment.
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Understand This: Broadband Is a Necessity, not Luxury, for All Communities, Rural Areas
Analysis: Would you thrive in a community with less than 75 percent access to electricity? Would you relocate your family and business to a county where less than 75 percent of the roads were paved? Of course you wouldn’t. Broadband connectivity has quickly become as important and vital as any other form of basic service to our citizens and businesses.
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Fewer Venture Firms Are Raising Larger Funding Rounds
In first quarter, 57 funds raised $6.26 billion compared with 83 firms and $6.2 billion in 2007, a report from the National Venture Capital Association and Thomson Financial said.
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Exercise May Lead to Faster Prostate Tumor Growth, Duke Researchers Report
UniversityTech: Findings could lead to design of drugs to treat prostate and other cancers.
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Are U.S. Workers Not Trainable in Web 2.0 World?
“My basic point is most people already employed in the tech sector are simply unfit to work in the current field,” a reader writes.
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‘X’ This – More Thin Laptops Coming from Lenovo
Tech Web sites report X300 ultra-thin, light laptop will soon be part of a family. The Morrisville-based PC maker will add three additional versions this fall, Gizmodo and others report.
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Read All About It – Creative Quartet Launches ‘Raleigh Quarterly’
Web site, soon to be a magazine, wants to be ‘hub’ for writers, artists and musicians in Raleigh and across the Triangle. The message to Apple’s Steve Jobs: People still love to read.
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IBM Researchers Report Memory Breakthrough
‘Racetrack’ memory could enable half-million song iPods that lasts for weeks on one charge.
